USDA Economic Research Service Data Sets
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Agricultural Research Funding in the Public and Private Sectors

Overview

Data for public and private funding of agricultural research and development cover the years 1970-2007 (public) and 1970-98 (private). Data are available as nominal figures and adjusted for inflation.

Public funding is based on data from two sources:

Private funding estimates are constructed by ERS, based on the methodology presented in "Private-Sector Agricultural Research Expenditures in the United States, 1960-92" (Staff Paper AGES9525).

The research deflator (used to convert current dollars to real) is constructed by ERS, based on the methodology described in Pardey et al. ("U.S. Agricultural Research Deflators: 1890-1985." Research Policy 18, October 1989).

For more details, see the complete documentation.

Data File

Agricultural Research Funding in the Public and Private Sectors
AgResearchFunding.xls. Data are available as nominal figures and adjusted for inflation for 1970-2007 (public) and 1970-98 (private). See also the documentation.

 

Real agricultural R&D funding 1970-2007 d

Definitions

The detailed definition of agricultural R&D can be found in the Current Research Information Systems Manual of Classification. Essentially, public agricultural R&D focuses on the plants and animals used in agricultural production; the natural resources that are used or affected by agriculture production; production systems and their support; food and non-food products; human nutrition, well-being, and food safety; families and community systems; economics, marketing and policy; and research administration. Private R&D includes many of the same research topics, specifically plant breeding, agricultural chemicals, farm machinery, animal health, and food and kindred products. The National Science Foundation data are defined by agency, in this case, USDA's research agencies. Both NSF and CRIS exclude outlays on "R&D plant," or expenditures on long-lived capital assets.

Agricultural Research Deflator—A price index that accounts for inflation in the cost of research inputs. The costs of conducting research have risen faster than the general rate of inflation.

Private Sector Agricultural R&D Funding—Agricultural R&D funding of non-public institutions, generally private firms. (Private funding of research at public institutions is included under public sector R&D).

Public Sector Agricultural R&D Funding—Agricultural R&D funding that flows through or to a public institution, whether at the federal or State level.

Related Resources

 

For more information, contact: Kelly Day-Rubenstein

Web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov

Updated date: June 5, 2009